Flu in the workplace

Flu in the workplace

Having staff away from work because they have caught influenza (the flu) can be very costly for your organisation.

In a study of unvaccinated participants, influenza-like illnesses accounted for 45 percent of all days of illness during the influenza season and 39 percent of all illness-related work days lost.*

Healthy, immunised working adults experience significantly fewer days off work and have fewer doctor visits. Research has shown that employees that have been vaccinated have had up to 44 percent fewer doctor visits and up to 45 percent fewer lost workdays.*

By encouraging your teams to immunise against influenza you lessen the chance of it being spread around the workplace possibly leading to significant staff shortages.

What can your organisation do?

The most effective thing you can do is offer immunisation to your staff via a workplace vaccinator or your local GP. Some pharmacies also offer an influenza vaccination service.

A workplace vaccinator can come onto your premises to administer the vaccine with minimal interruption to your productivity. Often they can be scheduled to work in with your company’s needs such as shift work timetables.

Usually a workplace vaccinator can take care of everything including:

Providing information for staff members to make an informed decision about whether they wish to be vaccinated

Answering commonly-asked questions about influenza vaccination

Providing posters advertising the time and date of your organisation’s flu vaccination session

Spread the word, not the flu

Getting the message out there about influenza immunisation is important. On this site you can find all sorts of helpful resources to help run a vaccination programme.

Appoint someone to be an Immunisation Champion to organise and promote your vaccination programme. They can send email encouragement, reminders and put up posters in high traffic areas such as cafeterias, locker rooms, and staff meeting areas.

Even if your organisation is not able to offer a vaccination programme, it is still a good idea to promote and encourage influenza vaccination among your staff.

Above all, lead by example – when you and senior members of your organisation are among the first to get vaccinated – others will follow.

Find a provider near you

Resources you can download and use

Promoting influenza vaccination is as easy as downloading and printing any or all of the following resources or attaching them to an email. (Don’t forget, your vaccination provider will have printed resources for you when you make your appointment.)

Influenza: Don’t get it. Don’t give it. logo (to use on your own resources and emails)